Welcome to another episode of the Interfaith
Podcast. I'm your host, Professor Iqbal Akhtar
here at FIU, and we're very honored today to
have Jenny Pearson to talk to us. She's from
the Jewish Federation here in Miami, and we're
going to kind of go a little bit into her background,
her experience, and the work that she's doing
for Federation. Welcome, Jenny. Thank you. Thank
you for coming. Talk to us a little bit about
your life. Who are you? So, wow. So, professionally?
Life. Like, start off from, you know, who are
you personally? And then we can get into professionally.
Talk a little bit maybe about your childhood.
Okay. What are some of the things that shaped
who you are as a person? OK, so I grew up in
New York and but I spent part of every year here
in Florida. My family had a lot of family here.
And so we would be here for like every summer
and every school break and everything. And my
father, you know, my father eventually had a
part of his company here and everything. So Florida
is a big part of my life, even though I grew
up in New York City. But I grew up with parents
who were very active in their community. They
both were community leaders in different ways,
either as part of boards or presidents of organizations,
from everything from the neighborhood association
to the local hospital to a Jewish school for
kids with special needs. My dad was a big part
of that growing up. And our synagogue. So being
Jewish was a big part of my childhood. We were
a observant reform home. So what that means is
even though my mother grew up traditional and
my father grew up in the sort of worker circle,
which is the sort of. socialist kind of like
eastern european jewishness um he became more
actively uh religiously active when he became
part when he met my mom and when he married my
mom and um so we celebrated every holiday we
marked shabbat we um uh We were very Jewish,
actually, in a neighborhood that was not Jewish
in Brooklyn. It's hard to imagine that when you
think of Brooklyn, you think of like Jewish.
But we lived in a part of Brooklyn that was like
people from the Mayflower. OK, so. Yeah. So it
was really weird. And I always was kind of like.
Feeling like an outcast as a Jew, not as anything
else, not not intellectually, not not socially
so much, but. I definitely felt like my family
was different. There were big cultural differences
that I felt. And then, of course, in Florida,
we were on the Gulf Coast, which is also less
Jewish than this coast. And so it also was sort
of like being an outcast to be Jewish. So as
I grew up, I did decide that I was more interested
in making a life in Florida than New York City.
I grew up active in the arts. I went into the
arts professionally as an adult, and I thought
it would be a more interesting challenge to be
in Florida, which was at the time a growing cultural
community. I mean, it's still growing, but...
It wasn't like New York City, which is like you
would really be a really small fish in a really,
really big sea in terms of the arts. And so I
thought it'd be a much more interesting challenge
to be in a place where culture is sort of less
present and less understood. And so I worked
in the arts from the beginning of my career.
And I was working in the arts in the in in in.
in a field that centers on community engaged
practice. So artists and organizations that do
arts for social change. So very early on, I was
introduced to the values of community -based
work and community responsive work and community
values and social change values. social justice
values. So I've done that in my career at all
different kinds of organizations, from very small
grassroots organizations to very large major
institutions like the Florida Philharmonic, which
doesn't exist anymore, and the Adrian Arsht Center,
where I was the director of community engagement.
So my work sort of became Because there was so
much of it was about building that bridge between
the arts and community. I focused a lot on community
engagement. There was about 10 or 15 years that
I was specifically focused on the community that
I was focused on in my community engagement was
the Jewish community. So I was really interested
in arts programs that and I produced arts programs
that were about pushing. the edges and redefining
or helping people get beyond stereotypes about
what Jewish culture is and also doing. breaking
the boundaries of what Jewish culture is. Can
you give us an example? So, yes. So one of the
things I did was I took a traditional Passover
Seder and I worked with a group of artists and
I assigned them all, well, they chose self -selected
different parts of the Seder that they felt a
particular connection to and they interpreted.
that part of the Seder through their artistic
practice, whether they were performing artists
or visual artists. So we had poetry, we had film,
we had sculpture, we had painting, all that each
piece represented a different part of the Passover
Seder. Should I explain Passover Seder a little
bit more? Probably, yeah. So a Passover Seder
is, Seder means order in Hebrew, and a Passover
Seder Seder is the home service that we have
during Passover, which is an important Jewish
holiday in the spring that's around when Easter
is. And it reminds us of the story of Exodus.
It's all about the story of Exodus. And it has
a prayer book called the Haggadah that takes
you through the story and takes you through remembering
that we were slaves in Egypt. And that is really
important to the work. I do now. So a really,
really significant value is remembering always
that we were slaves in Egypt and we were the
strangers. And so it's always really important
that we take care of anyone who is enslaved,
anyone who is oppressed, anyone who is othered
or marginalized. That's a really, really important
Jewish value. And as is welcoming the stranger.
So it's very much about... building bridges.
It's very much about that. So that's what a Passover
Seder is. It has all these different parts. It
has something called a Seder plate, which has
different symbols. So like, you know, one symbol
reflects our tears. One symbol reflects the mortar
that we used between bricks when we... when we
were slaves and we had to build buildings for
the Pharaoh. And so we took the Seder plate.
People took things on the Seder plate, but they
also took different prayer sections. Like, for
example, there's the four questions, which is
when the youngest person at the table asks. Oh,
and Passover Seders happen around the table.
I should have said that. And in the four questions,
the youngest person asks all of these questions
most significantly. Why is this night different
from all other nights? Which always reminds us
in everything we do to to really look at the
uniqueness of every situation and and what we're
trying to remember by it, that we're that we
are keeping it unique and holy. And there's another
part. So somebody did the four questions as their
theme. And there's also there's a lot of themes
of four. There's four cups of wine traditionally.
And there's four children, which traditionally
is four sons. But having grown up in a progressive
Jewish movement, we're egalitarian. So we call
it we do it as children. And so like one is one
doesn't know how to ask and one doesn't know
how to, you know. get themselves out of a situation.
And, you know, and it's really interesting to
look at all of these different ways of being
human. And we can find ourselves in all four,
all four. My husband did a reinterpretation of
it that we use in our Seder, which is for intelligences.
So we focus on that. So that was an example of
an art project where artists... took a Jewish
tradition and turned it into their artistic practice.
So it was extremely obviously very contemporary
because it was live living art that was made
in the moment. And I liked to think of the Jewish
culture that I produced as being beyond Fiddler
on the Roof. I always used to say it's beyond
Fiddler on the Roof because so often when people
think about what is Jewish culture, they think
of Fiddler on the Roof. Being Jewish is so much
more than Fiddler on the Roof. One of the main
things is that Fiddler on the Roof talks about
one community of Jews in a certain part of the
world. And in fact, the diaspora, the Jewish
diaspora has taken us all over the world. And
there's Jews in every continent. almost every
country and people practice in so many different
ways and there's so many different traditions
and foods and different kinds of music which
was another thing that I did is I created a music
festival called the Guava Ragalach. music festival.
So ragalach is a little pastry that's common
in Eastern European Jewish communities. And I
walked into a store. and um a kosher market here
in miami and i saw a package that said guava
rug and i was like only in miami like only in
miami would they take a tropical fruit and make
an eastern european pastry out of it and um that
was when i got the idea for the name of the festival
but i was already working on this unnamed music
festival that was about bringing together all
the different um kinds of music that comes from
all the different kinds of Jewish communities
that exist in Miami. So that festival happened
about three or four times. And that was really
fun. And then we also had like a, I forgot what
we called it, Guava Jam. And it was the different
cultures of music coming together and playing
a song together, but with their own musical traditions.
So like all the artists jammed together on the
stage. It was pretty cool. That's amazing. Wow.
I mean, it's really kind of pushing the boundaries
of like, of culture. And, and I think Miami is
good in that sense is that you actually have
such a remarkable combination of people and it's
a massive. uh it was a big community yeah um
and like you said they're representative from
all across the jewish diaspora here all across
the jewish diaspora and then and then it ends
up having its own miami flavor exactly which
is informed by all of these other cultures right
exactly so that's very cool so um so so that
gives you an idea that i'm you know that i was
interested in in examining the Jewish community
and over the years showing the world that the
Jewish community is diverse and can be so many
other things and forming partnerships with other
communities which is what I've done in the arts
through different situations where either the
work that was when i was doing specifically jewish
work but you know i also spent two years actually
um examining muslim culture and celebrating muslim
culture through the arts at an arts organization
i was with and so i learned a lot about muslim
culture during that time one of the things i
learned was um just uh I learned how accessible
it was to me because of my own traditions. I
understand. So it was really interesting to understand
culturally rooted work based on, or culturally
rooted ideas based on text, based on religious
traditions. Based on, exactly. So that was really
cool. And I also spent some time, you know, we
we were doing a few seasons looking at environmental
work. And so we were forming partnerships with
environmental organizations and learned a lot
about that then. So so that's when I then I went
to be director of. community engagement. And
I was really interested in, I was producing all
the cult, the community programs at the Arsh
Center. So the free programs, the Free Gospel
Sundays, Family Fest, which was a program for
young families, and forming relationships with
all these different kinds of community groups.
And then September 7th, October 7th happened.
And I felt this instinct to work Jewishly again.
And so I was very, very lucky to find my current
job, which is community relations manager for
the... Jewish Community Relations Council of
the Greater Miami Jewish Federation. So my work
is about bringing all of those partnerships that
I started forming around the community, plus
forming new ones, and really building bridges
between the Jewish community and other... other
communities. They're not only faith -based, they're
also culturally and, and, and spiritual, not
spiritual, they're culturally and, and, and,
and socially based. So it's great because I get
to work with the, so many of the same people
and the same communities. But it's really about
like, how do Jews and Muslims Live together,
work together, celebrate together, find our similarities
and not just talk about our differences. I just
launched a program that I'm really, really excited
about called Rekindle Miami. It is a program
that is about black Jewish relations. Right.
And it is. For people in their 20s and 30s, it's
a cohort. We had our first meeting this past
Sunday, I guess almost a week ago. And it was
great. It was like great to have everybody in
the room. People were really, you know, it's
facilitated and there are guidelines so that,
you know, it's a safe space where everything
that happens there stays there. We just had the
first meeting where we sort of like talked about
ourselves and talked about our identities and
talked about assumptions and stereotypes that
people make about us just based on how we look
or whatever. But we're going to do some cool
things like we're going to be, well, not so cool,
but looking at, I mean, it's cool, but not cool
to learn about anti -Semitism and racism and
white supremacy. So I love the idea of Jews.
And people from the black community being in
a room together and together hearing about racism
and being able to talk about it and together
being able to talk about anti -Semitism and together
being able to talk about white supremacy, which
affects both of us. So I really love that it's
a space for that dialogue to happen. I hope that
what happens, it's six months long, and I hope
that afterwards people remain friends and remain
in each other's lives and remain doing things
together. That would be a real sign of success.
That's amazing. You've had a very interesting
professional journey. And what do you think is
one of the... I mean, what are some of the challenges
that you are going through now working with Federation?
You talked a little bit about October 7th. How
does that complicate the situation in terms of
the work that you're doing? That's a really great
question and really real, really real. There's
a lot of misinformation about October 7th and
there's a lot of misinformation about what's
going on in Gaza. And it's created a lot of division.
And so I would say one of the hardest things
is navigating those divisions and being the person
that's about everybody being in the room together
regardless of those divisions or creating, bringing
people together over their divisions or beyond
their divisions. So there's a lot of, like yesterday
I was talking to somebody about something with
Gaza and like it became really clear that we
had different information. I was going to say
different stances, but. the stances are formed
by the information we have. And so instead of
saying, okay, I can't talk to this person. We
obviously feel really differently about this.
I said, and we were at a party, so it wasn't
the best place to talk. And I said, we're going
to have coffee and we're going to talk about
this. And I'm going to tell you everything I
know. And you're going to tell me everything,
you know, and we're going to find how we can,
um, work together and, um, move forward together.
Because I think that's a goal. And it's not just
outside of the Jewish community. That happened
to be somebody outside of the Jewish community.
That was somebody in the black community. So
even in the Jewish community, there are people
that lean left and there are people that lean
right. And it's really important to say, okay,
but here's the things that... we can agree on
and here are the things that affect both of us
and how are we being the best people we can be
celebrating our culture the best we can i think
that we all want that right so yeah no i mean
i think um i mean one of the things that i've
also seen um So we're starting a student dialogue
group here at FIU. And I think one of the things
is that we also assume that people on the other
side are all kind of monolithic as well. And
there's actually a lot of diversity even among
people that are different from us and to be able
to engage. And there are people that are open,
right? And so you have to figure out who those
people are and engage with them. And I think,
again, part of the way that you're able to change
people's opinions is just engaging with them
and talking to them. And I think that's exactly
the work that we need to be doing. And it's not
just, I think, in terms of interfaith work, but
even, you know, we talked earlier about political
polarization in the United States as well. That's
a really big issue as well. So, you know, what
are your politics and then how do you self -select
then instead of engaging with the other or with
someone who has different sort of perspectives?
Right. That, so actually. because you said this,
I actually want to go back to something that
I said, which is I said, you know, in the Jewish
community, there's people on the left, there's
people on the right. It's not that simple. It's
not, it's not whatever the two version of monolithic,
it's not bi, bi -alithic. I just made up a word.
It's not binary. Hello, that's the word. So it's
not left and right either. It's like this incredible
continuum with people in all different spaces.
So, and I think that, I think that I hope and
I wish that we all remember that it's a continuum
and it's not black and white. It's not a binary
and still can come together and and move forward
with that. And I a lot of my work is with people
who in some ways on the binary, you think you'd
think. oh, that's totally not, you know, that's
totally not something that a Jewish person could
relate to or a progressive person. And I have
become really good friends with some very conservative
people. And it's outside of the Jewish community.
And I think that what makes it work is that we
have some values that we share and that's what
we can focus on. Right. And, and I think it's
okay. It's okay to share some values and to not
be like, I don't agree with this person and therefore
I'm not going to engage with them in my life.
Exactly. Right. I think it's the total opposite.
I think it's like what you said. It's engaging.
It's coming together. Finding your shared values,
celebrating your shared values, because then
you have. Then you've completely humanized the
quote unquote other side. And and it's sort of
when you've humanized it, it's less scary. It's
like less giant, you know, and and maybe from
there we can really have. conversations that
affect change right yeah no i mean i agree and
i think one of the other things that's really
powerful um not just values but also um sharing
your life experiences um you know uh having children
or you know, witnessing your family member die.
They're very, very profound things that happen
in our lives as humans that can be shared across
and that, you know, it doesn't, you don't need
ideology to be able to communicate empathy and
sort of love and sadness and those sorts of things.
And I think tapping into the emotional connection
that we have with each other. So going beyond
just the intellectual and like what I believe,
but really what I feel, I think is a very powerful
way of being able to do that, you know. Right.
And I think being able to be there for each other
through all of those profound life events. Yeah.
Yeah, no, absolutely. You're able to really then
those are the friendships that, you know, endure
for life. Yeah. If you're with someone when they're
at their worst moment, they'll be with you forever,
you know. So it's very powerful. So we have a
lot of students here at FIU and they. are not
sure what they want to do with their life. So
what is some wisdom that you can give them based
on your life experience, diverse set of life
experiences, the communities that you engage
with, the work that you do as an artist and as
a creative? What would you tell students who
are kind of like figuring out what they want
to do with their lives? Wow, that's a huge moment
in somebody's life. I would say, the most important
thing is to love what you do or do what you love.
So if there's something that you love doing,
figure out how to do that professionally. If
it feels like, oh, but that's so easy. I shouldn't
be doing that professionally. I need to do something
that challenges me or is hard. The truth is that
thing that comes easy to you is probably not
easy to somebody else. And the fact that it's
easy to you is a message that that's what you
should be doing. Excellent advice. No, that's
absolutely correct. Yeah. One of the owners of
Ben and Jerry's has a quote that's something
like, if it's not fun, why do it? And I always
think about that. I mean, you seem to very much
enjoy the work that you do. I do very much enjoy
the work that I do. And it gives me energy, which
is a really important thing, too. It's like you
have to be passionate about your work because
you need it to fuel you. You need to go to bed
every night thinking, I can't wait to get back
to work tomorrow and dive into this. You know,
or make that call even like, oh, I can't wait
to talk to that person or I can't wait to solve
this problem. All right. You know, I think it's
really true. So you talk to the community. What
advice would you have or what is your vision
for? I mean, you're kind of the director of community
engagement for the Federation. I mean, what is
what would you like to see in terms of community
engagement in Miami? Where are we lacking and
what would you like to see more of? I would like
to see more sort of crossing of the aisle. More
risk -taking in engaging somebody that you think
you don't agree with or you think you are at.
odds with um i would like to see more miami is
an incredibly diverse community and um and i
actually think that's really beautiful that every
that you know that there are differences in communities
that have their own cultures their own communities
their own neighborhoods and you know i think
that's great um but i also think that um We need
to take each other along through it. And I also
think that all of our problems will be solved
if... Oh, sorry. What I think you said earlier,
or what we were talking about earlier, which
is that when you come together and you find out
the things you have in common, you can move forward
to... accept the things you don't have in common
and understand what it's about right um when
when you have a place for friendship um you can
talk about the hard stuff absolutely all right
wonderful um any last message you would like
to Nope. So, okay. All right. Well, wonderful.
Thank you so much, Jenny, for your time. We're
really sort of honored to have you and to have
your story and your work put out there as an
inspiration for our students. So thank you. Great.
And I love students. I'll have you maybe give
a class lecture one day. I would love to give
a class lecture. When I worked at MDC, I did
it all the time. Okay. Awesome. Well, thank you
for coming out here. Really appreciate it. Thank
you. I hope you enjoyed it. I did. Thank you.